Eyes of the Empire
by Mistran
Summary: Following a division of the Empire, the Sapphire Force, as they track down a corruption in their ranks going back as far as the Clone Wars.
1. Prologue: Carea

**Victory Cruiser "The Pendant", Space over Cerea, the Closing days of the Clone Wars**

"Prepare for take off", the voice on the loud speaker ordered as the gunship began to lift off. NDE-117, volunteer soldier for the Republic, geared up with his rifle as the commander got up.

"This is a recon mission. Destination is Cerea. We're going to invetigate a seperatist facility that is suspected to be controlled by a spy in our ranks. General Jer'hei will meet us on the ground", the Commander put on his helmet and turned around.

NDE-117 looked at his helmet before putting it on. It would be a shame to die so close to the end of the war, but with the Senate being in such a disarray, they had to obey. He put the safety off on his rifle and stood up as the claps rolled up, revealing a lush forest beneath them.

He spotted several CIS tanks on the ground, but they didn't seem to notice the gunship. As it descended into a clearing, the troopers jumped out. The Commander waved NDE-117 and two other troops over to him, ordering the others to guard the gunship.

After running abit, they reached the edge of the forest. The Commander put his hand up, signaling a full stop. "NDE-117, disable the antenna. NDE-412, take out the guards. NDE-335, come with me. Move out"

NDE-117 ran across the field, reaching a small bunker at the other end. He looked up at the panel as it blinked from red to green, allowing him to enter a cavern. "NDE-117 reporting in. I have reached the target, requesting codes"

"Affirmative. The code to is _Jelena Cahen_. We'll begin once you have disabled the shields", The Commander shut off the communications, waiting for NDE-117 to disable the shield.

NDE-117 punched in the code, but was interrupted before he managed to press the button. "General?", he asked as the Jedi approached him.

"Nice job for a... thing like you", Jer'hei said in a disgusted tone.

"Excuse me?", NDE-117 exclaimed as Jer'hei ignited his lightsaber. "Commander, something is wrong with General Jer'hei. He's th-", a slash was heard over the radio.

"Corporal? Corporal?!", The Commander screamed. He stopped when he noticed the shields had been lowered. As the team began moving in, they realised something was wrong. All the guards had been called off, and Jer'hei was standing in the door opening.

"So, the squad comes to save the soldier?", Jer'hei dropped NDE-117 on he ground, wounded.

"What have you done?!" The commander exclaimed.

"Jedi's all over the galaxy is being executed. I blocked your communications with Coruscant to prevent you from receiving the order", he laughed as he ignited his lightsaber once more, "And now... We'll say everyone perished in the explosion"

The commander prepared his pistol, "What explosion?"

"This... Explosion", Jer'hei revealed a detonator, which he in that very second pushed down. A bright white light erupted from the facility and rumbled towards the squad. The last thing they saw was a yellow light, as everything turned black.


	2. Seven Years Later

**Victory Cruiser "The Pendant", Space over Manaan**

Seven years had passed since the formation of the Galactic Empire. The explosion on Carea had been forgotten, and the facility left in ruins. The Republic squad had been replaced with the Sapphire Force, a unit under the charge of Sergeant Zach Kicelorn.

The Pendant had been re-arranged and re-colored to fit the new scheme of the reigning force. It was the capital ship of the Sapphire Fleet. It's sister ship, the Point Zero, had been recalled to Coruscant to participate in the dealings there, leaving the Sapphire Fleet with three ships, The Pendant, The Sapphire, and Kicelorn. The last ship was named and constructed after the blueprints of Zach Kicelorn.

--

Meanwhile, on Coruscant, the dealings were in full process.

"I don't believe we should send the 501st. They're too busy looking for the escaped inmates on Kashyyyk", Admiral Liceon protested as General Heruk leaned back, "What if this tip is just a trick?"

Heruk sighed, "So, we'll send the Sapphire Force?"

Liceon leaned back, "I like that. A decorated war hero such as Sergeant Kicelorn could earn the Empire some good reputation in that system", he turned his attention upwards towards Grand Moff Noor.

"All right, it's been decided. Sapphire Force will be sent to Abregado-rae. Meeting dismissed", Noor stood up and left through the door in the back of the room.

--

Zach put down his glass and put the clipboard down, "These are the scannings?".

"Yes, Sir" the private sat down.

"Hm, this does not look good. So you're saying the bomb has the potential to destroy the ecosystem of the planet?"

The private nodded and took off his helmet, "There's something... else"

Zach nodded and looked up,"Yes?"

"Grand Moff Noor want's us to investigate some sort of accident at our research facility on Abregado-Rae"

Zach's expression faded as his head sank down, "Damn", he leaned back, "All right. Prepare the Ion bomb. We'll need it on Abregado-Rae. Keep this a secret though. We experimented with some... interesting things there"

The private nodded and got up, saluting as he left. When the door shut close, Zach got up and slammed his fist into the desk, causing a picture to drop to the floor. It shattered as he walked over it.


	3. Old Enemies

Zach dodged the explosion, jumping behind a rock, "Command, something's wrong! This was not supposed to happen!"

He looked out from the rock, spotting a huge figure crawling forth from the research facility, "I repeat; Mission has been compromised! Requesting assistance!", Zach whispered has he reloaded his E-11 Rifle.

Closing his eyes as he jumped infront of the rock and began blind firing against the figure. He heard a huge explosion, followed by him being thrown back...

--

**17 Hours Earlier, The Pendant, Space over Abregadoe-Rae.**

"Incoming transmission, Sergeant", one of the engineers shouted as the big screen turned blue.

"By the time this reaches the surface, i fear it's too late. We... found something. Something wierd. It's unlike anything we've ever seen before. It's a sort of technology. It seems to regenerate itself, and reproduce itself", the Hologram explained, "Professor Farek believes it can be millions, if not billions of years old. It might predate our galaxy, even! But sadly, we somehow disturbed it. It fled the lab, and is loose in the facility. Please, se- Oh no! Don't! No! NO!", the hologram turned around and screamed as it disappeared.

"Explanation, Abah?", Zach requested and turned right.

The Engineer stared at the monitor, "It was sent five hours ago. Whatever it was, seem's to have disappeared"

Zach turned back to the spot the hologram had been, "Replay, and freeze when the hologram is about to disappear"

As the hologram froze, Zach leans forward, "Damn..."

--

**20 Years Earlier, Facility For Research and Exploration, Corellia**

Emira Sill leaned forward, "Doctor Kicelorn to Robotics, Doctor Kicelorn to Robotics"

Zach was sitting in the fronthall of a domed building, watching his father running towards the lift before stopping and waving him over.

"Let me show you something" Kicelorn said and pulled him into the lift. He pressed the button labelled ROB.

A _swooosh_ indicated the lift was in motion. Zach watched the serials for the floors fly by, BIO, INF, MIL, TEC, and finally, it halted at ROB. Zach walked into a small corridor with alot of warning signs on each side of the wall.

Kicelorn turned right, through a blast door. Following, Zach was greeted with a familiar face, Selrik Farek, a newly arrived student.

"Doctor Kicelorn, Doctor Farek. May i present to you T.R.A.S. The Robotic Android Soldier. It has the ability to knock out an entire battalion of soldiers, or droids, with a single charge. It's still in experimentation though", an elderly woman said as she took off he mask.

Kicelorn approached, "Impressive, Marh. The Republic will be pleased to see this!", he paused and ran his hand across the chest of the android, "Very impressive!"

Zach approached alittle and look closer as the eyes opened on the android.

Before being able to react, the android grabbed Farek by the throat and slammed him against the wall before getting up. Kicelorn backed off, hitting the alarm, "Armed Security to Robotics!" he shouted as the android turned around.

The doors locked as it approached them. Kicelorn pushed Zach behind a desk, hiding him as the android began hitting the glass. "Stop it," Kicelorn exclaimed. Ignoring him, the android turned around and grabbed a chair.

Just as it began to lift it, Kicelorn grabbed one of the chair legs, and as a result was thrown with the chair through the window. The glass shattered as he fell lifeless onto the ground. Meanwhile, security guards had arrived and set up outside the room, opening fire as the android left.

Marh helped Farek up, "We've got to stop the experiment now", she ordered.

"We can't. The Republic would be furious!", he glanced at the Android on the floor, "It just needs a few bolts tightened..."

Marh shook her head and pulled out a pistol, "I can't let you unleash this... Monster on the galaxy" She charged the pistol, "I'm sorry, Farek", she excused as she took aim.

"No, i'm the one excusing," he said as he pulled out a remote control, "See, i had this sonic charge planted near your heart. It'll look like you died from a heart attack"

"No! You can't do th--", Marh fell down on the floor, lifeless as Zach ran out the door.

--

Zach turned away from the hologram, "prepare a strike team. Farek needs to pay for what he has done", he said as he took a last glance at the frozen hologram of Selrik Farek.


	4. Monsters of the Night

"Entering atmosphere," the Pilot informed as the shuttle lowered through the clouds, "Prepare for drop". The ramp rolled down as the team geared up.

Zach turned around, "All right, once we're down, get into positions. We can't be sure what has taken the facility, so be ready!"

As he turned back, he was greeted with the remains of a newly bombed city. Followed by his team, he jumped out and began looking around the rubble.

"Sergeant, what... happened here?", a voice asked from the back of the group.

Zach kicked over a rock, "I have no clue at all. This was supposed to be the Outpost where we should get our briefing"

"Doesn't look like much of an outpost anymore", the same voice stated.

"Zach," someone pulled in his arm "Zach, you gotta see this", Arale, the medic said as he pointed towards something in the rubble.

As Zach approached, he realised it was an Ithorian worker.

"They..." the Ithorian looked up, "They destroyed everything..."

Zach knelt, "_They_? Who are _they_?"

"The monsters," it coughed and looked down again "Monsters of the night"

Arale checked the pulse of the Ithorian. "Dead," he sighed as he closed it's eyes, "Monsters of the Night?".

"It's not their real name. It's just a name humanoids use for what we created here. The Mot", Zach put safety off on his rifle, "Shoot to kill"

Arale gave him a confused look, "Mot? What are their purpose?"

Zach sighed, "They were created as a distraction for the seperatists during the Clone Wars. The early experiments were sucessfull, but the Mot began to become more sentient. They began to think. Doctor Selrik Farek decided to close down the project, and locked the Mot away"

"And they broke out?"

Zach nodded, "But i don't think Farek could have done it. They haunted him, and he was scared of them. There's only three other persons in the Imperial ranks that know how to access the facility; Lord Vader, Myself, and Sherek Farek, Selrik's sister"

After a few moments of silence and searching, the team decided to put up a camp for the night.

As he was prepearing the heat generator, Zach spotted something in the distance. "Arale, inform the pilot to keep the shuttle ready in the case of emergency"

Arale nodded and ran off to the shuttle.


	5. Fears of Shadows

"Jerett, wake up", Arale shook Corporal Jerett, forcing him awake.

"What is it, Private?" he asked and looked around

Arale pointed towards some ruins, "I swear i saw something move over there"

Jerett sighed, "You're seeing things, Arale. The sun's coming up, maybe it was just that?"

"No, i'm certain i saw someone!" he insisted.

"Look, our life sign detectors had pinged if something was here" Jerett took a glance over at the detector.

Arale got up, "I guess," he turned around as he heard Jerett get up "What's wrong?"

On further inspection, Jerett noticed the detector was rising. 200, 400, 800. More than a thousand life signs.

"Private, wake the group. We've got to get to cover" he ordered as he grabbed his rifle from the ground.

Zach jumped up, "Retreat to the facility at once! And get a damn connection open to Command"

As the group began running towards the facility, shadows were following them. Despite how fast they were running, the shadows got larger, and larger. As they rounded a corner, they stood in a circular park area with a small bunker looking structure in the middle.

"Quickly, get inside!" Zach ordered as he punched in the password.

"Sergeant," Jerett handed Zach a commlink.

"What isi t, Sergeant?" a voice on the commlink asked as he finished punching in the password.

"We're-" Zach was interrupted by the door blowing outwards. He dropped the commlink, and was knocked down along with the rest of his team. He turned his head to the right as one of the shadowy figures leaned over the wounded Arale.

Looking to his left, Jerett was crawling towards him, holding an unconsious recruit in his arm. He could see his mouth moving, but was unable to make out the words. As his head fell right, he saw Arale being lifted up on a spear as the shadow figures appeared.

He closed his eyes as he felt himself being pulled away from the entrance. When he opened his eyes, he found himself behind a tree with Jerett firing at something. Regaining power over his body, he grabbed the commlink that had rolled over by the tree.

Getting up he looked around the tree as a huge figure emerged from the bunker. It turned it's attention to the tree and a yellow beam fired at them.

Zach managed to dodge towards a rock as he shouted into the commlink, "Command, something's wrong! This was not supposed to happen!"

He grabbed Arale's E-11 rifle and jumped forth and began blind firing. The figure was about to fire again, but this time someone grabbed Zach and pulled him down as a huge explosion knocked him unconsious.


	6. Locked Away

Paralyzed by the after effects of the explosion, Zach was unable to do anything but listen to two voices near him.

"... It's not supposed to be opened until in twenty five years. He cannot be allowed to give this information to the Empire, or we'll risk," the voice stopped.

"What is it, Zeleh?", the other voice asked as footsteps approached Zach.

The first person, apparently named Zeleh, laughed, "Our friend is alive!".

Zach felt two slaps on his cheeks, followed by his left eye being forced open. His vision was blurred, but he could make out a Twi'lek.

"Who...?" Zach asked as he tried to focus on the faces.

"Stay still. The injection may take awhile to set in. I'm Zeleh", the Twi'lek flashed a light into his eyes. "The guy in the back? Heh, that doesn't matter right now"

Zach's vision began to fade again.

Zeleh's tone changed to a more serious one, "You'll feel a stinging pain in your lungs in a moment"

Just as he finished the sentence, Zach felt as if someone had impaled him on a rusty spear. The pain was so bad he began to loose conciousness.

--

Once again regaining conciousness, Zach was finally able to make out what seemed like a metallic underground bunker. Sitting up, he noticed the body of Arale and Jerett. There was no sign of the rest of the team.

As he got off the table and approached Jerett, he found his head-camera was still attached behind his hair, "And i thought it was a dumb idea", Zach grinned and detached it from his head.

He walked over to a nearby console and plugged the camera in.

--

Jerett peaked around the tree, spotting a missile heading for the figure.

"Sergeant!" he screamed as the missile got closer and Zach jumped forth. He began running, grabbing Zach by the shoulders as the missile hit.

Turning Zach on his back, he checked for lifesigns, "Oh, that was close". He then looked up as a team of humans emerged from what seemed to be the ground.

"Move away, Soldier", one of them ordered as they got closer. All of them were wearing perfectly circular helmets, with glowing yellow visors.

Resisting, Jerett grabbed Zach's pistol and aimed at them, "Who are you?!"

Their leader ignored him, continuing to approach Jerett. "Lay down your weapon, Soldier", he commanded.

He began lowering his pistol. But as the Twi'lek on the left put safety off his weapon, Jerett fired, hitting the leader in the chest.

--

The camera cut out, and Zach looked over his left shoulder at the dead man.

"So it's a morgue," he sighed and shut off the terminal "Perfect. Just perfect. I'm presumed dead, and my whole team seems gone". He noticed a ventilation shaft exit near the foot of the beds.

"My escape" he thought and destroyed the crate infront of it...


	7. Wrongly Accused

Crawling up the inside ladder in the ventilation shaft, Zach was greeted with sunshafts and a breeze of fresh air. As he emerged, he noticed the planet seemed to be Dantooine.

He pulled up in his left arm, revealing a hidden comm-link, "Caller ID ZK-55534". The comm-link beeped and a voice emerged.

"Zach? Oh no..." the female operator responded, "Where are you?!"

Zach sighed, "Take it easy, Shelit. What has happened? I don't know how long i've been out..."

Shelit sounded shocked, "Zach, you're a hunted man. You and two teammates were the only ones missing from the scene, and they all seemed to have been killed by blaster shots"

"What? There's a... it was this _cult_. Or terrorists. Maybe rebels, i don't know!", he was starting to become more worried of the situation.

"All right, i believe you. But Noor will want answers. They sent the Terra Legion after you. What happened to Jerett and Arale?", she asked.

Zach shook his head, trying to remember, "They were killed. Arale was impaled on some sort of shadow spear, and Jerett died trying to save me". Zach paused as he got an idea, "Can you hack into the database on Coruscant and change the coordinates for the Telkanita to my coordinates?"

"But they'd find you then... Oh, now i see! Give me a moment, Zach", the connection cut. Zach's gear was still located on Abregado-Rae, so the coordinates would lead them there, away from his position.

--

**17 Hours Later, Corana Bar, Coronet City, Corellia**

Corporal Fancitti dropped into the chair and sipped to his drink as Zach approached him, "Enjoying yourself, Corporal?"

This caused Fancitti to spit out his drink again, "Sergeant?! But you're wan-". Zach put a hand infront of his mouth.

"I know, don't step in it anymore! Look, i need your help. The traitor in our ranks has accused me of killing Sapphire Force. I need you to gather the Infiltration team again"

Fancitti nodded, "All right then. There's a certain rodian i need to speak to it seems"

Zach grinned, "Good to hear. Five days from now, outside the old senate on Coruscant".

Zach emptied the contents of Fancitti's glass and put it down, leaving the bar.


	8. Poem of Espionage

**7 Years Ago, CIS Facility**

"Captain, we're ready to move in", Fancitti informed.

Zach nodded, "Good" Zach turned around and flicked the switch inside his helmet, "Is Echo ready to move in, Shaw?"

"Yes Captain, we're ready on your signal", Shaw responded.

"When the team on Carea moves in, so do we. Arale will give the signal. Radio silence for now", he ended the chatter and moved up to the wall.

Arale looked at his wrist-terminal, putting his hand up with three fingers. He began counting down.

Zach nodded and placed the charge on the door. He could hear Echo team do the same. Finally, when the last finger fell, both teams breached.

As Sapphire Force entered the large dome, they were ambushed from all sides. "Goddamnit! Fancitti, Arale, move up. Get us some cover. Jerett, plant the charged" Zach ordered and took cover behind a wall.

After blind firing for a half minute, Jerett gave him the signal that the charges were planted. "Echo team, get out. We're blowing this place up!", when Echo team didn't respond, he began retreating, "Echo team, report in! Damnit"

As they got outside, the charges blew up, destroying the facillity. Zach was left with Arale, Jerett, and Fancitti. "Fancitti, i thought you said it was clear!", he raised his fist.

"I'm sorry, Captain! I was sure..." he tripped backwards.

"All right then... I'll figure out something" Zach sighed.

--

**5 hours later, Senate Building, Coruscant**

Zach approached the desk with the three men awaiting his report.

The youngest took the report and sighed, "So you're saying your incompetence destroyed Echo team?", General Noor asked.

Zach just nodded and kept his head down.

Noor took a glance at the others. "All right then. Our other team vanished on Carea. You'll be reinstated as Sergeant of the Sapphire Force. Private Fancitti is needed elsewhere, however. Corporal Jerett and Officer Arale will be your loyal squadmates from now on. Dismissed"

--

**Present Day, Senate Building, Corucant**

Taking a sip of the bottle, Zach threw it into the depths as Fancitti came into sight.

"I heard what happened to Jerett and Arale. Damn shame", Fancitti sighed.

Nodding, Zach handed him a sniper rifle, "I have invited old Jer'hei for a meeting here. Take position on the ledge, and take him out when you can"

Shocked, Fancitti took it, "What reason?"

"He's the corruption in our ranks. I'm sure of it"

Fancitti nodded and ran for the lift leading to the balcony.

--

After a few minutes, a man in a cloak arrived. He looked at Zach, "Sergeant Kicelorn. It's a pleasure to see you after all these years!"

Zach looked down as a maniac grin spread on his face, "No, Jer'hei. The pleasure is all mine".

"So, what can i do for you?", Jer'hei asked and took off the hood.

Glancing to Fancitti to confirm it was him, he turned back to Jer'hei. "There's a corruption in the Empire. Someone in the high ranks. Specifically _you_."

A worried smile appeared on Jer'hei's face, "Zach, i thought you were the corruption?"

Zach shook his head, "No, Jer'hei. But if it's neither of us, who is it then?"

Jer'hei nodded, "I've been investigating it myself. And i think i've found out who it is. I believe he's been with you al-", he was interrupted by the shot from Fancitti's rifle.

As he fell to the ground, Fancitti ran away. "I... received this transmission..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a disk.

Zach took it as Jer'hei slumped backwards. Inserting it into his datapad, he found a transmission entitled _Poem of Espionage_:

_Falling from,_

_And landing on,_

_Nothing is ever as,_

_Controllable as,_

_Intelligence._

_Tell no one,_

_That,_

_I failed._

He looked up and sighed as Fancitti approached...


	9. Chains of Betrayal

**Room 171, Corus Hotel, Coruscant**

Zach woke up as someone tried to enter the room. He reached for his pistol and dropped under the bed.

"Hush, he may be asleep", one of the voices said outside. It was clearly a Stormtrooper.

As the door broke open, two men in Stormtrooper armor entered and began ransacking the room.

After a while of searching, they both halted and became silent. All of a sudden, the bed was lifted and the two grabbed Zach, "Seems like the rat hides in his nest?" the tallest remarked.

--

**The Pendant, Unknown Location, Several Hours Later**

As Zach regained conciousness, he was being dragged across a metal floor. He could see two persons in the front who had their backs turned to him, viewing something outside the window.

Then the person on the right spoke with a familiar voice, "Fantastic sight, isn't it, Kicelorn?". Fancitti turned around, revealing an oddly shaped facility.

"Wh... What is it?" Zach asked as he tried to focus on the object.

"We call it the Blight. Our success. And our revenge on the Empire against what they have done... Right, Shelit?" Fancitti turned to the other person.

Shelit turned her attention to Fancitti, "Indeed it is, Lord". She took a quick look at Zach.

Fancitti grinned, "It's quite funny actually. This traitor you've been hunting has been in your midst all the time. Everyone aboard this ship agrees with me. The Empire must fall!". When Zach didn't respond, he slapped him across the face.

A smile spread across his face, "You really wanna know what's funny?"

Fancitti sighed, "Sure"

"You're feeling that everyone aboard this ship is on your side. Yet you forget one important thing"

Worried, Fancitti approached, "And what is that?"

Zach looked up, "Never turn your back on a Twi'Lek".

In the same moment, Fancitti felt a stinging pain in his back. He fell on his knees.

Coughing, he stared Zach in the face, "How... How do you... keep doing it?".

"I always knew you were the traitor, Fancitti. Jer'hei confirmed my suspecion though", Zach watched as Fancitti fell to the left, bleeding from the knife in his back.

Shelit put her hand forth for Zach, "This is the second i save you. Too bad the corruption will never end. Our struggle will continue for generations, but the corruption will never vanish. Only we will"

Dusting off his shirt, Zach sighed, "I guess this means i'll finally have a use for my summer retreat on Yavin 4?"

--

**11 Years Later, Yavin IV, Kicelorn Retreat**

Zach was kneeling infront of a huge stone. Shelit entered the garden and approached him as she read from the stone.

"In Memory of those lost in the fight for corruption. Jiteran Kicelorn, Corporal John Jerett, and Officer Kane Arale", she smiled as he got up.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Zach. But there's someone that wishes to speak to you", she continued.

Zach turned around and lifted an eyebrow, "Who?"

"It's a Selrik Farrek i believe. Something about a possible lead"

"All right, i'll look into it. You'll stay here though", he ordered as he entered the house, heading for the landing pad.

Shelit turned around, taking another glance at the stone before leaving...


End file.
